MICROSOFT co-founder Bill Gates has been accused of taking a sly dig at Britain’s historic vote to leave the European Union during a speech in Westminster.

The world’s richest man was giving a talk at the annual meeting in London of his Grand Challenges charity.

Mr Gates, who is an estimated £62billion, made several political jibes while discussing a vote by the British public to award funding to research into antibiotic resistance in 2014 – including Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump.

The world's richest man said: “The British public voted, in this case, I think wisely, for what they thought was the most urgent which is the problem of antimicrobial resistance.”

Social media users instantly suggested the billionaire’s words appear to be a criticism of the British people’s decision to vote Leave.

RT • GETTY

Bill Gates took an apparent swipe at Brexit during a speech in the UK

The British public voted in this case I think wisely

Bill Gates

He was sharing the stage with leading Leave campaigner and minister for international Development Priti Patel. While the audience laughed it is unclear if Ms Patel Mr Gates' joke funny.

While he didn’t mention the UK’s EU referendum vote, many in the audience including an Associated Press reporter, many picked up on the sly dig.

The AP reporter tweeted: “Gates praises UK pubic’s vote to make antibiotic resistance top priority with dig at Brexit: 'The British people voted, in this case wisely’.”

Another attendee wrote: “We can’t vote out a malaria vaccine once we’ve developed it.